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India vs England: Hosts seal series win as concussion substitute Harshit Rana takes three key wickets

England fall 15 runs short in thrilling chase despite superb Harry Brook 51; concussion substitute Harshit Rana plays key role with three wickets; Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya half-centuries helped India post 181-9

India's Harshit Rana, T20 cricket
Image: India's concussion substitute Harshit Rana took three key wickets

India beat England by 15 runs in a thrilling T20 clash as controversial concussion substitute Harshit Rana took three key wickets to help the hosts seal a series victory.

After being put in to bat, India recovered from Saqib Mahmood taking three wickets in the second over to post 181-9 thanks to superb half-centuries from Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya.

England made a flying start to their chase and despite losing four swift wickets appeared in with a strong chance of victory when Harry Brook (51) brought up his half century to take England to 129-4 in the 15th over.

However, England's star batter fell to Varun Chakravarthy (2-28) to trigger the loss of four wickets for just 15 runs, before India closed out victory in the final over after brief resistance from Jamie Overton.

England captain Jos Buttler said after the match that he "disagreed" with India being allowed to replace Dube, who was struck on the helmet in the final over of India's innings, with Harshit.

The sport's rules state a concussion replacement is meant to be "a like-for-like player whose inclusion will not excessively advantage their team" but T20 debutant Harshit provided a much stronger bowling option than Dube.

Despite England's understandable frustration at the match referee's decision to allow the switch, Buttler's side were guilty of throwing away a winning position with poor shot choices.

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The final match of the series takes place in Mumbai on Sunday, before a three-match ODI contest begins on Thursday in Nagpur.

Mahmood gets England off to dream start before Hardik, Dube hit back

England made a dream start to the match as Mahmood, making his first appearance of the series in place of Mark Wood, took three wickets in his first over.

Mahmood (3-35) was somewhat gifted the treble by some questionable shots from India. Samju Samson hit the first ball of the over straight to Brydon Carse at deep square-leg, before Tilak edged the second to Jofra Archer at third man.

Mahmood then crowned an extremely rare T20 triple-wicket maiden by removing Suryakumar Yadav with the final ball of the over, as the India skipper inexplicably steered the ball straight to Carse at short mid-wicket.

England's Saqib Mahmood, center, without a cap, celebrates with teammates the wicket of India's captain Suryakumar Yadav during the fourth T20 cricket match between England and India in Pune, India, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Image: Saqib Mahmood took three wickets in his first over of the series

India offered some resistance through Abhishek Sharma (29) and Rinku Singh (30), but Adil Rashid struck in his first over to break the partnership by having the former caught on the leg-side boundary.

A costly drop followed, as Buttler spilled a tough chance to remove Dube first ball, with the England captain failing to hold on as he dived to his left at slip.

The tourists remained in control at that stage though, with Carse having Rinku caught by Rashid at third man to reduce India to 79-5 in the 11th over.

India's Hardik Pandya bats during the fourth T20 cricket match between England and India in Pune, India, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Image: Hardik Pandya struck a magnificent half-century for India

It was at this point the real fightback began, with Dube enjoying success, particularly against Rashid, to build some momentum for India.

Hardik began patiently, scoring just 14 runs from his first 17 balls, before accelerating in stunning fashion to bring up his half-century from just 27 deliveries.

Hardik finally fell to the final ball of the 18th over as he holed out to Buttler in the deep off Overton to leave India 166-6.

England's Saqib Mahmood, center looks on as India's Shivam Dube, left, and teammate Hardik Pandya run between the wickets during the fourth T20 cricket match between England and India in Pune, India, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Image: Shivam Dube (L) and Hardik Pandya put on 87 for the sixth Indian wicket

Dube maintained India's progress in the penultimate over of the innings with boundaries of Carse's final two balls to bring up his own half-century.

However, Overton would hit back in a superb final over, having Axar caught in the deep, before combining with Salt to execute the run-out of Arshdeep.

That left Dube with three balls to face. He swung and missed at the first, was struck on the helmet by the second, and then was then run out by a brilliant direct hit from Buttler as he attempted to come back to the striker's end.

England fall short amid cheap dismissals

England made a dream start to their chase as Ben Duckett (39) and Phil Salt (23) took them past 50 within five overs.

However, the openers, and Buttler, fell in three successive overs to halt England's momentum. Ravi Bishnoi had Duckett and Buttler caught, either side of Salt being bowled by Axar Patel.

England's Ben Duckett, T20 cricket
Image: Ben Duckett got England off to a strong start

Liam Livingstone soon followed as he nicked Harshit through to Samson attempting to run the ball down to third man, leaving the chase delicately balanced at 95-4 in the 12th over.

Brook appeared to have swung the game back in England's favour when he struck Harshit for two sixes and a four to end the 14th over, but gave away his wicket in the next over attempting to scoop the dangerous Varun.

England's Harry Brook plays a shot during the fourth T20 cricket match between England and India in Pune, India, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Image: Harry Brook's half-century ignited England's chase

Carse fell two balls later as he was caught on the boundary following an inadvisable shot given the match situation.

Jacob Bethell became Harshit's second scalp as he was caught off a slower ball, before Jofra Archer played onto his own stumps to give Bishnoi a third dismissal.

England briefly threatened a comeback as a Rashid six and Overton four from back-to-back deliveries left them needing just 21 to win from the final 11 balls.

England's Liam Livingstone, center, reacts after losing his wicket to India's Harshit Rana, right, during the fourth T20 cricket match between England and India in Pune, India, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Image: Harshit dismissed Liam Livingstone for his first T20I wicket

However, a questionable decision for Overton to twice not take a single to retain strike was made to look ridiculous as he was bowled by Harshit from the final ball of the over.

That left England needing 19 from the final over, with their hopes fully extinguished when Mahmood was caught off Arshdeep with two balls remaining.

What they said

England captain Jos Buttler:

"It's not a like-for-like replacement. We don't agree with that.

"Either Shivam Dube has put on about 25mph with the ball, or Harshit has really improved his batting.

"It's part of the game. I still think we should have gone on to win the match, but we disagree with the decision."

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav, left, shakes hands with England's captain Jos Buttler after India won the fourth T20 cricket match against England in Pune, India, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

India captain Suryakumar Yadav:

"It was a top effort from everyone on the field.

"We didn't want to take a backwards step at 10-3. The boys know what brand of cricket we want to play.

"Three wickets in one over was too much, but the way they batter after, the way they responded with positive intent - Hardik and Dube showing their experience - was great."

Why was India's concussion substitution controversial?

Concussion substitutions were introduced to international cricket in 2019 as the International Cricket Council (ICC) sought to improve player safety.

The rulebook says: "The ICC match referee should ordinarily approve a concussion replacement request, if the player is a like for like player, whose inclusion will not excessively advantage his team for the remainder of the match."

India's switch during Friday's match was controversial as most onlookers would agree that replacing Shivam Dube with Harshit Rana was not a like for like change.

ICC concussion substitution rules

The ICC match referee should ordinarily approve a concussion replacement request, if the player is a like for like player, whose inclusion will not excessively advantage his team for the remainder of the match.

Dube is a batting all-rounded, primarily selected for his striking ability, or as India skipper Suryakumar said at the toss, the extra "firepower" he brings to their line-up.

Harshit is primarily a bowler who is capable of contributing with the bat, and bowls significantly faster - and with more skill - than Dube.

India could have replaced Dube with the player he had come into the team for, Washington Sundar, but instead went for Harshit.

England in India - results and fixtures

All times UK and Ireland

  • First T20: Wednesday January 22 - Eden Gardens, Kolkata - India won by seven wickets
  • Second T20: Saturday January 25 - MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai - India won by two wickets
  • Third T20: Tuesday January 28 - Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot - England won by 26 runs
  • Fourth T20: Friday January 31 - Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune - India won by 15 runs
  • Fifth T20: Sunday February 2 (1.30pm) - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
  • First ODI: Thursday February 6 (8am) - Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur
  • Second ODI: Sunday February 9 (8am) - Barabati Stadium, Cuttack
  • Third ODI: Wednesday February 12 (8am) - Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

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